Changes
by EmeraldLily16
Summary: Takes place a week after the last episode. Manny is still your typical fun loving, mischievous, boy but he soon finds that things are beginning to change with his friends, his family, and himself but he's not sure if he's ready for it all. And to make matters worse a strange monster starts attacking the town and for some reason he can't catch it. How will he cope?
1. Chapter 1

It was another typical day in Miracle City and just any other typical day local hero/villain Manny Rivera a.k.a El Tigre was trying to prove his machoness. Today he was trying to prove it by foolishly battling a group of thugs and villains in Calavera by himself even though his father had told specifically to stop going to Calavera without him or his grandfather at least. As expected he got overly cocky with his mouth and was beaten to a pulp. Also as expected Frida had to be the one to dress his wounds since he didn't have enough money to pay medical bills at a doctor office.

"Okay Manny just warning you this will sting." She said soaking a cotton ball and preparing to clean his wound.

"Don't worry Frida I'm a big boy I can handle a little-"

She puts the cotton ball on his knee which was on his bleeding gash.

"YEOWWWWWWCH!" He shouted when he felt the stinging sensation.

"I warned you." She said.

"Dear God what did you soak that stuff in? Acid?"

"No it's just rubbing alcohol."

"Well it feels like acid burning through my skin!"

"Oh don't be a baby." She scoffed. "My three old cousin is tougher than that."

"Shut up!"

"So tell me again why we couldn't just go to the doctor?"

"Because I can't pay the medical bill so the only way I would get treated is to have my father take who can pay bill but to do that I'd have to tell him how I got hurt and if he finds out I went to Calavera without him or Grandpapi he'll ground me for God knows how long."

"Dude just lie to him."

"That's not gotta be as simple as it used to be. He recently got a built in lie detector I'm his head."

"Oh man I hate it how parents that freaky sense."

"No I mean he literally got a lie detector chip built into his brain so now he can tell whenever me or grandpapi is lying to him."

"Oh...That's creepy. Wait a minute don't those things cause brain damage?"

"Only to people with compulsive lying disorder."

"So basically your grandpa and every villain in the city?"

"Bingo."

"Well that should make life interesting." Her eyes went down to his belt. "Uh-oh."

"What?"

"Um...Now don't panic but I think that beat down did a little more damage than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"Look down."

Manny did as she said and saw that the buckle on his belt was cracked.

"Oh no! No...No, no,no! This is bad! This is very bad!"

"Okay now let's just remain calm."

"Remain calm?! Frida my belt is cracked! You know what that means?! It means I can't be El Tigre! And if I can't be El Tigre then who am I?!"

"Alright dude you need to chill."

"I can't be a Rivera if I don't have any powers! I'll be a disgrace to the family name! I'll be mocked by everyone even my ancestors!"

"Manny."

"I'll be outcast!"

"Manny."

"I'll bring dishonor to Dad and Grandpapi!"

"Manny."

"And worst of all no girl will ever date me!"

Frida slaps some sense into him.

"Snap out of dude! It's not the end of the world. Remember when you guys had your stuff convescated?"

"Oh yeah right. Still I need to get this fixed and the only one people I know who can fix it are Dad and Grandpapi."

"Well there you go get your grandpa to fix it."

"Can't he's at the Annual Miracle City Villains Convention."

"Why didn't you go?"

"Because it's the Annual Retired Miracle City Villains Convention."

"Oh. Okay so just wait til he gets back."

"No good Dad is taking me on patrol tonight. There's only one other person I know who can possibly fix it but we can't exactly ask him for help."

"Who is he?"

"That little twerp, Dr. Whatever."

"Oh him. You know I caught that creep peeping on me two weeks ago."

"Seriously? What a weirdo!"

"My Dad and his police dogs found him."

"Oh God that's scary what happened to him?"

"Two words: Dog chow."

They laughed. Manny found it satisfying that for once Frida's father was sicking his hell hounds on someone other than him. He remembered the last time it happend. It was on the day his family had defeated all the villains and on that very day Frida had given him a kiss on the mouth. Their picture was all over the news and Emiliano went ballistic. He didn't just send police dogs he sent a swat team and tried to have him arrested for assault even though his daughter was the one who initiared it.

Then it hit him like El Oso with a boulder. Frida had kissed him! On the mouth! He had been so pumped about beating the villains and terrified of her father that it didn't occur to until now. Why did she kiss him that day? She never told him. Was it a spur of the moment?

"Dude are you still there?" She asked him.

"Oh sorry. Yeah I am."

"So what's the plan?"

"Well we can't trust him to help us because he's double crossed me twice. So we're just gonna have to sneak into his lab and see what he has."

"He's still in the hospital from when my dogs nearly devoured him so he won't be there."

With that knowledge the two children snuck over to Dr. Chiptole Jr's lab. It was locked tight with a high tech security system but Frida able to damage it using a paper clip, bubblegum, and lemon juice. Once inside they found plenty of strange and weird machines and inventions. Most of them chili, pepper, and guacamole based.

"You know if he would just give up the whole scientist gig he'd make a great seasoning chef." Frida said tasting his chili.

"Frida don't eat anything here you might turn into a zombie or something."

Hearing that Frida quickly spat the chili out of her mouth. They searched for something that could be useful.

"Hey what's that?" Frida said pointing to a green glow.

Flowing the glow they saw that the source of it was a case that was labeled astral radiation.

"Alright just what I need." Manny said.

"What is it?"

"Radiation. Grandpapi used this fix his sombrero and Dad's boots."

"Is it safe?"

"Positive." He put the case in his bag. Now let's get going before Dr. Crazy finds us here."

Just they heard a growl and the ground began to shake. It was Dr. Chiptole Jr's guacamole monster. Manny had forgotten that he used that things a guard dog.

"Run!" He shouted.

The monster chased them around the lab growling, snarling, and swinging it's fists. During the chase the monster knocked over several chemicals that spilled down a drain and into the sewers. Manny and Frida ran out of the lab but the monster chased them through town.

"Quick let's hide in the movie theater!" Frida suggested.

The two then ducked into the nearest theater and hid behind some chairs. Unlike most theaters this one had a window and through it they saw the monster run into power lines which electrocuted it and reduced it to nothing more than suace.

"That thing maybe strong but it doesn't have a brain." Frida said. "So we got into a movie for free feel like watching it?"

"That depends what are we watching?" He looked up to see what movie was playing. On the screen was a couple making out in a black and white atmosphere. "Eww gross! It's one of those black and white, french, kissy films! Ick! My mom watches them all the time! You know people see these movies in the theater just so they can have an excuse to make out in public."

"Like those two?" Frida said pointing to a couple just a few seat from where they were. They looked to be in their forties or thirties and had their arms wrapped around each other while kissing each other firecely.

"Aww! Sick!" Manny gagged. "Let's get out of here before I throw up."

"Hey wait a minute is that your dad down there?" Frida observed.

"What? Let me see."

The two moved lower down the seats and saw that the man was in fact Rodolfo and he was I'm fact making out with a woman. A woman who was his mother. His parents, his separated parents were making out.

"You know I bet Manny would think this is gross." Rodolfo said when he and Maria took a break.

Then they went back to kissing.

"Ahh! It burns!" Manny screamed covering his eyes in horror.

Upon hearing the familiar scream the two immediately the two broke apart and to their horror they saw that their son was in the theater and had witnessed what they were doing.

"Manny!" They gasped.

"Hey keep it down!" An angry viewer said.

"Sorry." Rodolfo said. "Manny? What are you doing here?"

But the boy was in a state of a shock at the moment and couldn't be reached. He just sat there with his eye twitching.

"Manny are you okay?" Maria asked.

"The horror. The horror." He kept whispering.

"Don't worry I got him." Frida pulled him out of the theater and over to the snack bar where she sprayed him in the face with soda.

"Who? What? Where? Why?" He said coming to his senses. "Oh Frida I had the worst nightmare of my entire life. I dreamt that I saw my parents making it was so gross!"

"Sorry Manny but that actually happened."

"Huh?!"

"Are you alright hijo?" His father asked concerned.

"Well part of me is mentally scarred now but I guess I'll live. Anyway quick question, what the heck is going on here?! Why were you two kissing?!"

"Manny calm down. Should we tell him?" Rodolfo asked Maria.

"Tell me what?" Manny asked.

"We were waiting until Grandpapi got back so we could announce it over dinner but I guess there's no point now." Maria said. "Manny your father and I are getting remarried "

Manny felt his brain break into a million little pieces.


	2. Chapter 2

When Manny was finally able to put his brain back together he realized that in the past hour his parents had brought him and Frida back to his house then left.

"Are you feeling better?" Frida asked him.

"I think so. Where are my parents?"

"They left to get you some ibuprofen and antacid just in case you have another freak out."

"I can't believe this. How can my parents be getting back together? This is terrible."

"Why? Because you owe my five bucks? I told you that it was bound to happen sooner or later."

"No."

"Is it because you'll be seeing your parents make out sometimes?"

"No...Well yes that is one reason but no!"

"Then what is it?"

"Because if they break up again Dad'll be crushed."

"I don't think that will happen again and if it does it won't be something he can't handle."

"Frida you weren't there when it happened. When Mom left it was like Dad was a different man, I...I can't even describe it."

"Okay relax, this all came as a shock and you're not over it yet so maybe you should do some thinking and talk to your dad."

"You mean talk about my feelings? With him? What am I a girl?"

"Nevermind so are we gonna fix your belt or not?"

"Oh right I almost forgot. Let's hurry before the get back."

They went to Puma Loco's secret lair, put on suitable equipment, and began using the radiation to fix his buckle. It sealed the crack up in an instant and when the glowing faded the belt looked no different from how it did before it broke.

"There we go good as new." He said.

"You sure this is safe?" She asked.

"Totally." He slipped the belt on and spun the buckle, he changed into El Tigre. "Perfect. Well I better get to patrol with my dad see ya tomorrow Frida."

"You too."

She left his house. When Manny's parents came home he went on patrol with his father. Though the purpose was to keep an eye out for danger it was more so Rodolfo could have time alone with his son to explain things. For the longest time it was just silence between them finally Rodolfo decided to break the silence.

"So it would seem there is no danger tonight."

"No I guess not Dad."

"In that case why don't we uh...Bond and uh...Spend some quality time together to work out our issues."

"Dad are you reading that out of a book Mom gave you?"

"Um...No." Rodolfo quickly threw away the book labeled: How to talk to your son about feelings and issues. "So what's new?"

"Not much I just saw my parents make out, my divorced parents. Now I think I need therapy."

"Sorry Son."

"When did it happen Dad?"

"I guess it started after the Plata Peligrossa incident."

"What?! You told us you were gonna remain friends!"

"Yes and we were for awhile. We started spending a lot of time together, one thing lead to another, and here we are. But she made the first move I swear."

"Dad by any chance has Mom been wearing that glove more than usual?"

"I'll have you know your mother hasn't worn that thing since that incident."

"But still Dad don't you think...I don't know that Mom might leave you again?"

"I cannot see the future so I cannot say but she's learned to cope with my career as a hero. Does she still worry? Yes, does she still hypervitlate when I'm in danger? Ocasionally, but we have made it work."

"Somehow I don't think it's that simple."

"It'll be fine hijo, you'll understand when you're older and start dating Frida. Hey is it me or my pants too tight?"

"What?!" He gasped. "Whoa! Whoa! Back up! When I'm older and start dating who?!"

"Frida. You know the blue haired girl who follows you around. You like her right?"

"No! I don't like her!"

"Manny my lie detector is going off, you're lying."

"Well I mean I like her but it's not like she's my girlfriend! Eww!"

"Huh...I guess you haven't started puberty yet."

"Dad!"

"Don't be embarrassed mine was late too. I think I was fourteen when I started liking girls."

"Dad shut up! You're creeping me out!"

"Sorry so you don't like her that way but I think she likes you."

"No she doesn't. What do you think that?"

"Well she did kiss you."

"That was...Uh...Um...Well she...I...I don't why she did that but I'm pretty sure it's not for that reason and FYI I do like girls in that way just not her."

"Is it because you don't think she's pretty?"

"Oh God this can't be happening."

"I can assure you Manny that will change especially since you're both thirteen and are entering teenhood."

"I'm not hearing this." Manny said covering his ears.

"It's all a matter of growth and hormones-"

"Ahh! This is nuts! I'm out of here!"

He then fired his chain and swung away.

"They always run." Rodolfo sighed. "Don't feel bad son! I did the same thing when my father tried to talk to me! Of course he tried to explain it through real life examples which inculded ttying to force me to kiss a girl! But still nothing to be ashamed of!"

"Stop talking to me!" Manny shouted back.

Once Manny gave his father the slip he decided to change back and get a milkshake. Boy did he need one after a day like this.

"One chocolate shake." He requested.

When the guy running the counter top went to hand him his shake it was snatched away by local bullies.

"Thanks muchacho!" He laughed while scarfing it down.

"Hey! That's mine!" Manny argued.

"Like we care!"

They walked away chuckling making the boy growl under his breath. He turned to the guy who running the counter top.

"Can I get another one?"

"Got any money kid?"

"No."

"Then no shake."

"But mine got stolen. You saw it!"

"Sorry not my problem."

"That's not fair! I paid for a milkshake!"

"Yes and if you want another you'll pay for that one too."

"But I didn't get my milkshake which again I paid for."

"And again I don't care."

"Fine just give me a refund."

"Sorry no refunds."

"Oh come on! This is not fair!"

"Life ani't fair kid now beat it."

"No way! I am not leaving this spot until I get a milkshake or money back and you can't make me!"

One second later...

"Ahhh!"

He was kicked out of the shop and landed on his butt.

"And stay out you little runt!" The man shouted slamming the door.

"Jerk! I hope you choke on your own milkshake!" Manny shouted.

He got up, brushed himself off, and started to make his way home. He was so angry right now he could scream. First he was beaten to a pulp, subjected to the shock and horror of his parent's public display of affection, and then he got ripped off by some jerk. As he began walking he had the strangest feeling something was following him but he didn't see anything or anyone around.

"Hey! Is somebody there?" He called.

No answer.

"Davi is that you? I told you to stop stalking me and to get your own life!"

Still no answer.

"Hmm...Must be hearing things."

When he got home he went to bed but not before double checking to make sure that he wasn't followed. He fell asleep after that. In the morning he got dressed and joined Frida on the school bus. On the way to school they drove downtown and saw that it was in shambles. The roads were broken apart, buildings were in pieces, it was a mess.

"Whoa? What happened here?" Manny asked.

"Looks like an earth quake hit us last night." Frida said.

"I don't feel anything."

"Maybe it was brief."

At school the two spent there usual day being bored out of their minds and trying not to fall asleep. At lunch Manny smelled something unusual. It smelled sweet and nice and he kind of liked it. It was coming from Frida.

"Hey Frida what's that smell?"

"What smell?"

"You. You smell different."

"I do? Oh that. It's just some lavender perfume my sisters wear. Do you like it?"

"Yeah it's...I mean no. It's weird, why are you wearing that?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to try it for a day."

"But that stuff is for girls."

"Yeah and in case you haven't noticed I'm a girl."

"Well yeah but you're not a real girl."

"Excuse me?!" She cried insulted.

"No wait! That came out wrong!"

"What do you mean I'm not a real a girl?! Are you saying that this whole time we've known each other you thought I was a boy?! What did you just now notice the red skirt?!

"No! You're a real girl! What I mean is you're not a girly girl. You know pretty girls who wear perfume and dresses and stuff like that."

"Oh I get it now. I'm a girl I'm just not a pretty girl is that it?"

"Yes! No wait-"

But she poured her milk on him before he could correct himself in time.

"Well Mr. Rivera I'm sorry that I'm not as attractive as a goth girl who wears too much strawberry perfume or a cactus obsessed chick with a unibrow!"

She then stomped off to her next class leaving Manny drenched in milk and confused.

"Um what just happened?" He asked the universe.


End file.
